Safety ski binding

ABSTRACT

An improved safety release ski binding which is responsive not only to lateral impact but is also capable of being actuated by a backward fall. Means are also provided for adjusting the force necessary for a release of the binding in response to lateral impact.

United States Patent Wyss Apr. 23, 1974 SAFETY SKI BINDING [56] References Cited [76] Inventor: Samuel Wyss, Sporthaus, Kleine UNITED STATES PATENTS scl'feldegg (Camm of Heme 3,603,607 9/1971 Marker 280/1135 T Swltlerland) 3,638,959 2/1972 Renge 280/1135 T [22] Filed: Apr. 27, 1972 Primary Examiner-Robert R. Song [21] Appl' 248,032 Attorney, Agent, or FirmStewart and Kolasch, Ltd.

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data [5 7] ABSTRACT Apr 27, 1971 Switzerland 6l70/71 An improved safety release Ski binding which is swftzefland 5701/71 sponsive not only to lateral impact but is also capable Feb. 22, I972 Swnzerland 2500/72 of being actuated by a backward falL Means are also provided for adjusting the force necessary for a re- [52] U.S. Cl 280/1135 T lease of the binding in response to lateral impact. [51] Int. Cl. A63c 9/00 58] Field of Search 280/1135 T 4 Clalms, 11 Drawmg Flgures SHEET 1 [1F 5 FATENTEB APR 2 3 I974 SHEET 2 UP 5 FIG.3

ATEflTgnAPn 23 mm new 3 UP 5 FIG. 5

FIG.- 9

PATENTEDAPR 2 1974 3.806; 143

SHEET 5 [1F 5 SAFETY SKI BINDING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a safety release ski binding with an automatic heel piece and more particularly to a toe piece binding with two movable supporting jaws.

Conventional bindings are of the long-stroke type wherein the elements of the binding engaging the boot tip are designed and arranged in such a manner that a pivoting up to a certain critical angle can be cancelled without a release of the binding. The theory of the longstroke bindings is to prevent a release of the binding due to relatively minor shocks resulting in a rotary movement of the boot with respect to the ski. In this connection, a maximum large return angle has always been intended.

However, the conventional long-stroke bindings exhibited certain disadvantages. For example, the restoring force generally decreases with an increasing return angle. This, of course, is in opposition to the objective to be attained, namely to ensure a secure return even in the case of a large return angle. Additionally, it is impossible in all long-stroke bindings to avoid a relative motion between the ski boot and the restoring jaws. As a further consequence thereof, not considering the disadvantageous wear and tear on the ski boot, the restoring force relationships are always different, depending on the various shapes of the ski boots, especially the ski boot soles, and thus cannot be controlled in advance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to avoid the prior art disadvantages in safety release ski bindings.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved long-storke safety release ski bindings wherein the relative motion between the restoring jaws of the binding and the boot is substantially eliminated.

A further object of the present invention is to provide improved long-stroke safety release ski bindings which maintain the restoring force substantially constant up to the point of release.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a safety release ski binding which is also capable of being actuated by a backward fall.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide improved safety release ski bindings which substantially eliminate the wear and tear on the ski boot.

Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter; it should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spririt and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

Pursuant to the present invention it has been found that the above-mentioned disadvantages may be eliminated and much improved safety release ski bindings can be obtained by referring to the following description and the accompanying drawings. The safety ski bindings of the present invention are characterized in that each supporting jaw of the binding is articulated to the rear end of a detent (sliding plate), the front end of which is connected via a guide element with a springloaded pivot pin. The detent is guided by a control element up to a release position in such a manner that the rear end of the detent substantially defines a circular arc, the center of which lies at the heel mounting point of the automatic heel piece.

According to a preferred embodiment, in a safety ski binding wherein each pivot pin has a bent, upper end formed as a rocking lever, and each rocking lever is under the bias of a spring, it is possible to adjust the force necessary for a release of the binding in response to lateral impacts. Accordingly, means are provided for varying the moment of rotation (torque) exerted by the spring bias (spring force) upon the pivot pin via the rocking lever.

According to the present invention it is also possible to fashion a safety ski binding which is attached to the ski by a base plate wherein the detents are held in a mounting frame in such a manner that the binding allows a pivotal motion of the supporting jaws about a vertical axis as well as a tilting motion above a horizontal axis. This makes it possible for the boot to be released from the ski, such as for example, in the case of a backward fall. In this embodiment, the mounting frame can be pivotable along its front rim with respect to the base plate and about a hinge disposed at right angles to the axis of symmetry. The mounting frame and the base plate are detachably joined by a snap mecha nism, said mechanism containing a retaining element attached to the base plate and provided with at least one index means (locking means or notch). This retaining element cooperates with a locking member provided with at least one laterally projecting, springloaded ball and is joined to the mounting frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only and thus are not limitative of the present invention and wherein,

FIG. 1 shows, in a first embodiment, a top view of the toe piece binding in the closed position with the cover plate having been removed;

FIG. 2 shows the same arrangement as FIG. 1 immediately prior to release;

FIG. 3 shows the same arrangement as FIG. 1 after the release has been effected;

FIG. 4 is a lateral view of the toe piece binding in the locked position;

FIG. 5 shows, as another embodiment, a section beneath the cover plate of a toe piece binding, said binding being in the closed position;

FIGS. 6-9 relate to still other embodiments of the present invention wherein means are provided for adjusting the release force;

FIG. 6 is a lateral view of one type of means for adjusting the release force;

FIG. 7 is a top view of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top view of another type of means for adjusting the release force;

FIG. 9 is a top view of still another type of means for adjusting the release force and FIGS. 10 and 1 1 represent still a further embodiment of the present invention additionally showing a release of the binding in case of a backwards fall. FIG. 10 is a lateral view, partially in section, of the binding in the locked position and in the released position and FIG. 11 is a section taken along line XIXI of FIG. 10.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the first embodiment according to FIGS. 1-4, a frame 47, formed by a base plate 1 and a cover plate 2, the latter held at a distance from the base plate in a manner not illustrated in detail, is attached to the ski. In the base plate 1, two pivot pins 3 are pivotably provided and fixedly connected with guide element 4. The guide element, in turn, is hingedly connected to the front end of a detent (sliding plate) 5. The front end of each detent carries a fork 6. A supporting jaw 8 is freely pivotably mounted between the free ends of the fork and is vertically adjustable by means of a screw 7. The two upper ends of each pivot pin 3, which are bent at an angle and are fashioned as rocking levers 9, are joined by a tension spring 10 suspended thereon, so that an inwardly oriented moment of rotation (torque) is exerted on each pivot pin. Two guide pins 11 are attached to the base plate 1, each of these pins penetrating one of the detents through a guide slot 12. Each guide slot 12 comprises a return branch 13 and a release branch 14 disposed at an angle to the return branch and extending toward the inside. The inner edge 15 of the return branch 13, against which the guide pin 1 is pressed under the effect of a force produced at the respective supporting jaw 8 and oriented toward the outside, is curved toward the inside in such a manner that under the effect of a force, the geometric axes of the respective screw 7, about which one of the supporting jaws is freely pivotable, is guided along a circular arc 16 at least until the guide pin 11 has passed the edge 17 into the release branch 14. The dimensions are selected so that the center of the circular arc lies at the heel fastening point of the automatic heel piece, said heel piece not being illustrated in the drawings. Consequently, the screws 7 and therewith the supporting jaws 8 are guided along a circular arc disposed concentrically to that executed by the point of the boot upon a lateral pivoting, as long as the boot is held by the automatic heel piece.

it, due to a lateral impact, the tip of the ski boot, as illustrated in FIG. 2, describes a circular arc in the counterclockwise direction about the holding device of an automatic heel piece, then the respective outer detent 5 is pivoted without there being any movement of the associated supporting jaw 8 relative to the tip of the ski boot. Rather, this supporting jaw 8 follows the motion of the boot, without any displacement in the mounting point and without any reduction in the restoring force exerted by the spring via the guide elements 4 and the respective detent 5. During this movement, and due to the respective guide element 4, the pivoted detent 5 is pushed in the forward direction, and the detent is diplaced with respect to the associated guide pin 11, the latter resting against the curved inner edge of the return branch 13 of the guide slot 12. This movement continues until the guide pin 11 has reached the edge 17 (FIG. 2). If the rotation of the tip of the ski boot continues, the guide pin 11 passes into the release branch 14 of the respective guide slot 12,

whereby the detent, under the effect of the spring 10, suddenly pivots toward the outside and releases the tip of the ski boot (FIG. 3).

The size of the return angle depends on the position of the edge 17. It would also be possible to increase the length of the return slot by means of a slide or some other device, i.e., to displace the edge 17 in the forward direction, whereby the return angle could be still further increased or adapted to specific requirements.

Once the detent 5 is in the release position according to FIG. 3, it is sufficient to guide it back toward its original position by hand until the guide pin 11, via the edge 17, has again entered the return branch, from which point on the respective detent 5 it is again pivoted back into the initial position of FIG. 1 by the spring 10.

In this manner an effective safety ski binding can be provided, avoiding as a long-stroke binding, a reduction in the restoring force without there being a relative motion between the supporting jaws and the tip of the ski boot.

The second embodiment according to FIG. 5 permits a somewhat narrower structure and differs from the first embodiment merely in that each detent 5 exhibits a tang l8 directed toward the other detent. The guide slot 12 is cut into this tang. The dimensions are selected so that, in the closed position according to FIG. 5, the return branches 13 of the two guide slots 12 are congruent. This arrnagement makes it possible to utilize only a single guide pin 11a which, when mounted on the base plate 1, is adapted to traverse both guide slots 12. The mode of operation otherwise substantially corresponds to that of the first embodiment.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 6 and 7, the arrangement is such that, in the illustrated locked position, the two rocking levers 9 are disposed in parallel to each other and to the plane of symmetry of the binding. On the cover plate 2, a guide frame is arranged consisting of the front plate 19 and the rear plate 20. The spindle 21, disposed in the plane of symmetry, is rotatably disposed in this guide frame and has an operating knob 22. The spindle 21 penetrates the cylindrical block 23, the latter movably disposed on the cover plate 2. The coil spring 24 is arranged around the block and the two ends of the coil spring are fashioned as slide elements 25. In this connection, the position of the spring 24, inserted under tension between the two pivoting levers 9, as well as the length of the ends of the spring, are selected in such a manner that each of the slide elements 25 abuts respectively one of the rocking levers 9, so that each slide element 25 exerts a torque upon the associated rocking lever, the size of said torque depending on the distance of the resting point of a side element 25 on the respective rocking lever 9 from the geometrical axis of the pivot pin 3. If, now, the block 23 is moved in the direction toward the geometrical spindle axis by means of the knob 22 and the spindle 21, the distance of the mounting points of the slide elements 25 on the rocking levers 9 from the geometrial axes of the respective pivot pins 3 is changed. Thus, depending on the direction of rotation of the spindle 21, the torque exerted on these pivot pins 3 can be increased or reduced. Since this torque determines the necessary force required to cause the outward movement of the detents 5 and correspondingly, the release of the binding, it is possible to vary the release force by a simple rotational adjustment of the spindle 21. The

binding can thus be adapted to particular conditions. The same result can also be obtained by the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8. In this embodiment, a rotatable spindle 26 with an operating knob 27 is also provided. An adjusting element 28, movable in the axial direction of the spindle, is penetrated by this spindle. The adjusting piece 28 contains externally closed guide slots 29 on its two lateral ends, respectively. A link pin 30 is guided in each of these slots 29, said link pin coupling guide fishplate 31 with a two-armed lever 32 and being rotatable about a pivot pin 3. Of the two arms 33 and 34 of the levers 32 arms 33 rest against the rocking levers 9, while the other arms 34 are joined by a tension spring 35, so that each arm 33 is resiliently pressed against its associated rocking lever 9. In this manner, a torque is exerted on the respective pivot pins 3. The size of this torque is also varied in this embodiment by moving the link pins 30 through the operation of spindle 26 and the adjusting element 28 in parallel to the geometrical spindle axis, whereby the lever arm of the force exerted on each rocking lever 9 is varied.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 9, a spindle 36 disposed in the plane of symmetry of the binding and having a operating knob 37 is again provided. This spindle passes through the axially movable block 38 to which one end of the coil spring 39 is attached. The other end of the spring 39 engages a rod 40. Both ends of this rod are operatively attached by means of a link pin 41 to respective guide elements 42, each of said guide elements being, in turn, operatively attached to respective rocking levers 9. In this embodiment the rocking levers 9 are oriented towardeach other in the forward direction in the illustrated locked position. Since, upon a pivoting of the rocking levers 9 and/or upon the rotation of a pivot pin 3, the link pins 41 execute a circular motion, each of these link pins is guided in a circular-arc slot 43. In this embodiment, the size of the torque exerted on the pivot pins 3 is dependent on the tension (bias) of the spring 39. The tension can be varied by a movement of the block 38 and/or by rotating the spindle 36 by means of the operating knob 37.

The embodiments of FIGS. 6-9 demonstrate in an effective way the use of means for varying the force necessary for pivoting the detents and thus releasing the ski boot in ski bindings such as those shown in FIGS. 1-5.

The embodiment according to FIGS. 10 and 11 shows how, in the aforedescribed bindings, a means for releasing the connection between the ski and the ski boot in case of a backwards fall can be additionallyprovided.

At the front edge of the base plate 1, adapted for mounting to a ski, a hinge 44 is arranged at right angles to the axis of symmetry of the front jaw. The frame 47 consisting of the cover plate 2 and a bottom plate 45, as well as the post 46, is pivotabe about the hinge 44. The bottom plate 45 has a perforation 48, the edge of which abuts against the underside of an adjustable stop 49 threadedly inserted in the base plate 1. this serves the purpose of limiting, in the release position, the pivotal motion between the base plate and the frame.

In the frame 47, any kind of actuating and/or return means can be arranged for the supporting jaws 8 arranged in the frame and pivotable individually. The hollow-cylindrical retaining element 50, which projects vertically in the upward direction, is fixedly joined to the base plate 1. The inner surface of the retaining element tapers conically from the end facing away from the base plate 1 in the downward direction. The tapered portion passes over into an inwardly projecting shoulder 51 serving as an index means and having the shape of a circular ring. The hollow locking member 52, attached to the cover plate 2 and projecting vertically therefrom in the downward and upward directions, cooperates with the retaining element 50. On the underside, the locking member 52 is closed off by a bottom element 53, said locking member being provided with two lateral apertures 54, each containing a ball-like element 55, the diameter of said balls being slightly larger than the inside width of the apertures 54. Consequently, the balls radially project out of the locking member 52 by a predetermined amount. The balls 55 are under the effect of a transmitting element 57 provided with two inclined surfaces and attached in the windings of spring 56. The transmitting element enters the space between the two balls 55 in such a manner that, when the actuating element 57 is resiliently pressed in the downward direction, the two balls 55 exit laterally from the apertures 54. Here, the spring bias can be adjusted by the screw 58, the spring 56 resting against both the head of the screw and the upper portion of the transmitting element 57. Thedimensions are chosen so that, in the locked position shown in full lines in FIG. 10, the exiting ball portions enter the index means 51 of the retaining element 50, so that the retaining element and the locking member 52 together form a snap mechanism. the force necessary to separate this snap lock can be adjusted by a corresponding pretensioning of the spring 56 and/or by a rotation of the screw 58.

In case of a backward fall, once the force exerted by the sole of the ski boot on the supporting jaws 8 from below exceeds a certain value which is adjustable by a corresponding tightening of the screw 58, the snap mechanism is released, and the frame 47 is pivoted about the hinge 44 into the release position illustrated in dashed lines in FIG..10 and limited by the stop 49, whereby the ski boot can be detached from the binding.

In order to restore the release mechanism to the closed position, it is sufficient to pivot the frame 47 in FIG. 10 in the counterclockwise direction about the hinge 44 until the balls 55 again snap into the index means 51. This movement is facilitated by the conical shape of the inner surface of the retaining element 50.

The embodiment of FIG. 9 is particularly suitable for combination with a backward fall safety arrangement according to FIGS. 10 and 11. Such a combination would also be possible per se with the adjusting mechanism according to FIG. 8, but in such a case the rocking levers, in the locked position, should suitably point in the rearward direction and the arms 33 and 34 would have to be exchanged with each other. Furthermore, in this case, a compression spring would have to be provided between the arms 34.

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

It is claimed:

1. A safety ski binding apparatus containing an automatic heel piece and a toe piece binding comprising a base plate, a pair of generally, longitudinally extending and transversely spaced detent means, said detent means provided with movable supporting jaws at their respective rear end portions, a pair of guide elements each pivotally connected at the forward end portion thereof to a respective forward end portion of the detent means, a pair of generally, upwardly extending stationary pivot pin means each rigidly connected to the rear end portion of the guide elements, spring means operatively connected to the pivot pin means for biasing the supporting jaws to a boot holding position and upwardly extending guide pin means rigidly attached to the base plate and penetrating guide slots provided in each of the detent means, said guide slots having a return branch and a release branch for changing the supporting jaws from a boot holding position to a boot releasing position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inside edge of the guide slots which connects the return branch with the release branch is angled toward the release branch.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein only one upwardly extending guide pin means is utilized and the return branches of said guide slots are congruent when the binding is in the locked position, said guide pins being positioned so as to penetrate said guide slots.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the inside edge of the guide slots which connects the return branch with the release branch is angled towards the release branch. 

1. A safety ski binding apparatus containing an automatic heel piece and a toe piece binding comprising a base plate, a pair of generally, longitudinally extending and transversely spaced detent means, said detent means provided with movable supporting jaws at their respective rear end portions, a pair of guide elements each pivotally connected at the forward end portion thereof to a respective forward end portion of the detent means, a pair of generally, upwardly extending stationary pivot pin means each rigidly connected to the rear end portion of the guide elements, spring means operatively connected to the pivot pin means for biasing the supporting jaws to a boot holding position and upwardly extending guide pin means rigidly attached to the base plate and penetrating guide slots provided in each of the detent means, said guide slots having a return branch and a release branch for changing the supporting jaws from a boot holding position to a boot releasing position.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inside edge of the guide slots which connects the return branch with the release branch is angled toward the release branch.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein only one upwardly extending guide pin means is utilized and the return branches of said guide slots are congruent when the binding is in the locked position, said guide pins being positioned so as to penetrate said guide slots.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the inside edge of the guide slots which connects the return branch with the release branch is angled towards the release branch. 